Saturday, May 12, 2007

Queen of All Hearts

Mary

Thanks Sue!

Our Lady, Mary, Mother of God, Mother to us all,
Beloved above all others by the Father,Son,Holy Spirit

She is the Tabernacle where God became a Child.
She is the great miracle of God's Mighty Arm.
She is the Father's Daughter,
Mother of Jesus Christ,
And by a great mystery
Temple of the Holy Spirit.

St. Louis de Montfort


The Blessed Virgin Mary Through The Ages, as she was known by the Early Fathers of the Church and Popes, Doctors of the Church, and some of the Greatest Saints ! May the life of Mary, who gave birth to God, be for all of you as instructive as if it were written down. Come to know yourselves in her and carry out the good works that you have neglected in the past." - Saint Athanasius (293/297 - 373) +++ [ +++ = Doctor of the Church ]

" O sinners, be not discouraged but have recourse to Mary in all your necessities. Call her to your assistance, for you will always find her ready to help. It is God's will that she should help in every need. " - Saint Basil the Great (329 - 379) +++

"Think often of the Blessed Virgin with love. Those who have received the grace to do so, possess a great sign for predestination."- Saint Ambrose (340 - 397) +++

"Mary, the Mother of Our Lord, accompanied by choirs of Angels, will come to meet you. What a day of joy that will be for you !"- Saint Jerome (340 - 420) +++

"Through Mary, the miserable obtain Mercy, the graceless find grace, and sinners receive pardon."- Saint Augustine of Hippo. (354 - 430) +++

" The Mother of God contained the infinite God under her Heart, the God Whom no space can contain. Through her, the Trinity is adored, demons are vanquished, Satan is cast out of heaven, and our fallen nature is assumed into heaven." - Saint Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) +++

"The devil is always looking for someone to devour. In the same way, Mary is always looking for someone she can help in any way."- Pope Saint Leo I " the Great ", ( Reigned 440 - 461 ) +++

" Mary, ever Virgin, is a true Mother of Mercy, who disposes Jesus to clemency. As a consoler of the human race, she never ceases to pour out before Him her prayer for the salvation of the faithful crushed by the weight of their sins." - Pope Saint Pius V ( Reigned 1566 - 1572)

"Devotion to the Blessed Virgin in no way detracts from the Glory of God. Rather, it leads us directly back to that Author of all good, Who has willed her to be so great and so pure". - Pope Pius Xll ( Reigned 1939 - 1958)

" Because Jesus redeemed us, He is our Lord and our King. In the same way, the Blessed Virgin is our Lady and our Queen, on account of the unique manner in which she assisted in the Redemption, offering her Son to the Father for the salvation of the world." - Pope Pius Xll ( Reigned 1939 - 1958)

"The Blessed Virgin directs to us all of the acts that every mother lavishes on her children. She loves us, watches over us, protects us, and intercedes for us." - Pope John XXlll ( Reigned 1958 - 1963)

"Our life on earth is filled with troubles and temptations. We must let ourselves be captivated by Mary and model our life in some way upon her exemplary holiness." - Pope Paul VI ( Reigned 1963 - 1978)

"Every time that you honor Mary, Mary praises and honors God with you." - Pope John Paul ll ( Reigned 1978 - 2005)

"In entrusting to you, O Mother, the world, all individuals and peoples, we also entrust to you this very consecration of the world, placing it in your motherly heart." - Pope John Paul ll
( Reigned 1978 - 2005)

"To support me in this promise, I invoke the maternal intercession of Most Holy Mary, in whose hands I place the present and future of my person and of the Church." - Pope Benedict XVl ( Reigned 2005 to Now )

" The name ' Mary ' means light or star of the sea. For it was Mary who brought forth the Eternal Light, Jesus Christ !" - Saint Isidore of Seville (540 - 636) +++

" To serve Mary and to be her courtier is the greatest honor we can possibly possess. For to serve the Queen of Heaven is already to reign on high, and to live under her commands is a greater thing than to govern !" - Saint John Damascene (676 - 749) +++

" We today also remain near you, O Lady. Yes, I repeat O Lady, Mother of God and Virgin. We bind our souls to your hope, as to a most firm and totally unbreakable anchor, consecrating to you mind, soul, body, and all our being and honoring you , as much as we can, with psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles." - Saint John Damascene (676 - 749) +++

"Our Lady is rest for those who work, consolation for those who weep, medicine for the sick, a harbor for those assailed by tempests, pardon for sinners, sweet relief for the sad, succor for those who implore." -Saint John Damascene( 676-749) +++

" May we deserve to have the help of your intercession in heaven, because as the Son of God has deigned to descend to us through you, so we must also come to Him with you." - Saint Peter Damian (1007 - 1072) +++

" The Mother of God is our mother. May the good mother ask and beg for us , may she request and obtain what is good for us." - Saint Anselm of Canterbury (1033 - 1109) +++

" O happy confidence! O perfect refuge! The Mother of God is my Mother. What firm trust we should have, then, since our salvation depends on the judgment of a good brother and a tender Mother." - Saint Anselm of Canterbury ( 1033 - 1109) +++

"Let us not imagine that we obscure the glory of the Son by the great praise we lavish on His Mother. The more Mary is honored, the greater is the glory of her Son." - Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090 -1153) +++

"When we speak the name of Mary, heaven becomes more beautiful, and earth rejoices. The demons are terrified, and vanish like dust in the wind"- Saint Francis of Assisi ( 1181 - 1226)

"I command all my brothers, who are living now and who will live in the future, always to praise the Mother of God, and with every means to honor her everywhere as well as they are able, and have recourse to her with the greatest respect and surrender." - Saint Francis of Assisi (1181 - 1226)

" How beautiful you are in soul and resplendent in body, Mary, my Mother. In this world, the Blessed Virgin was poor and unknown, but in heaven, she is glorious and beautiful, the Queen of Angels." - Saint Anthony of Padua (1195 - 1231) +++

" Seek refuge in Mary because she is the city of refuge. We know that Moses set up three cities of refuge for anyone who inadvertently killed his neighbor. Now the Lord has established a refuge of mercy, Mary, even for those who deliberately commit evil. Mary provides shelter and strength for the sinner." - Saint Anthony of Padua (1195 - 1231) +++

" The whole world is indebted to Jesus for His Passion. Similarly, all of us are indebted to our Lady for her compassion." - Saint Albert the Great (1206 - 1280) +++

" Those who enjoy the favor of Mary are recognized by the citizens of heaven. And those that bear her stamp , that is, those that have the grace to be her servants, are inscribed in the Book of Life. " - Saint Bonaventure (1221 - 1274) +++

"The Blessed Virgin Mary is called the Star of the Sea. Those who sail the ocean seas are guided to the port they seek by carefully observing the stars. In the same way, Christians are guided to heavenly glory by keeping their eyes on Mary."- Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225 - 1274) +++

" The Blessed Virgin never committed any actual sin- not even a venial one. Otherwise, she would not have been a Mother worthy of Jesus. The Son would have shared the ignominy of the Mother, for He would have had a sinner for His Mother." - Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225 - 1274) +++

"Have recourse to that dear Mary who is the Mother of Mercy. She will take you into her Son's presence, and use her Motherly intercession with Him on your behalf, so that He will be merciful to you." - Saint Catherine of Siena (1347 - 1380) +++

"The Blessed Virgin Mary has the power of delivering souls from purgatory by her prayers, and by applying her merits for them. This is especially true for souls that were devoted to her on earth." - Saint Bernardine of Siena (1380 - 1444)

" Once, on the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, Queen of the Angels, the Lord was pleased to grant me the following favour: in a rapture there was pictured to me her ascent into Heaven and the joy and solemnity with which she was received and the place where she now is. Exceeding great was the glory which filled my spirit when it saw such glory. The fruits of the vision were wonderful and I was left with a great desire to serve Our Lady, because of her surpassing merits." - Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) +++

" While remaining the mother of our Judge, Mary is a mother to us, full of mercy. She constitutes our protection. She keeps us close to Christ, and she faithfully takes the matter of our salvation into her charge." Saint Peter Canisius (1521 - 1597) +++

" Those who want to prevent their heart from being pervaded by the evils of earth should entrust it to the Blessed Virgin, our Lady and our Mother. They will then regain it in heaven, freed from all evils." - Saint Francis de Sales (1567 - 1622) +++

" Let all hearts give themselves to Mary so that she will fill them with her Heart and the Heart of Jesus ! " - Saint John Eudes (1601 - 1680)

" Oh Mother of love, you have given me your Heart. Now take firm possession of my heart and offer it completely to the pure love and sole glory of your beloved Son." - Saint John Eudes (1601 - 1680)

" Give your heart completely to Mary. And beg her to make it like the Heart of her Divine Son." - Saint John Eudes (1601 - 1680)

"It is the nature of Jesus Christ to lead us to the Father. In the same way, it is the nature of the Blessed Virgin to lead us surely to Jesus."- Saint Louis Grignon de Montfort. (1673- 1716)

" To go to Jesus through Mary is truly to honor Jesus Christ. It indicates that we do not esteem ourselves worthy of approaching His infinite holiness directly, that we need Mary to be our Mediatrix with Him, our Mediator. " - Saint Louis Grignon de Montfort (1673 - 1716)

"Mary adorns her clients with her merits, assists them with her power, enlightens them with her light, and kindles them with her love. She imparts her virtues to them and becomes their security, their intercessor, and their all with Jesus. " - Saint Louis Grignon de Montfort. (1673 - 1716)

" Mary is the sure way to go to Jesus and to find Him perfectly. It is through her that holy souls, who are to radiate holiness, must find Jesus !" - Saint Louis Grignon de Montfort (1673 - 1716)

" When the Holy Spirit finds Mary in a soul, He flies to it. He enters therein and communicates Himself to that soul with abundance." - Saint Louis Grignon de Montfort (1673 - 1716)

" Cast yourself in spirit into the Heart of Mary. Then love the Sovereign Good by means of this Heart that is so pure! " - Saint Paul of the Cross (1694 - 1775)

"Although we are sinners, let us be of good heart and feel certain that Mary will come to assist us at death. We need only to serve her with love for the remainder of our time in the world."- Saint Alphonsus Liguori. (1696 - 1787) +++

"Whoever bears the mark of devotion to Mary, God recognizes as His own."- Saint Alphonsus Liguori. (1696 - 1787) +++

"Heap together all of the love of mothers for their children, all of the love of husbands for their wives, and all of the love of the Angels and the Saints for their clients. The total could never equal Mary's love for even a single soul!" - Saint Alphonsus Liguori (1696 - 1787) +++

"Happy is he who lives and dies under the protection of the Blessed Virgin"- Saint Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney, the Cure D' Ars, ( 1786-1859)


" When our hands have touched spices, they give fragrance to all they handle. Let us make our prayers pass through the hands of the Blessed Virgin. She will make them fragrant." - Saint John Vianney (1786 - 1859)

"Do you know the surest way to learn the will of God ? It is the way of prayer to our good Mother Mary !" - Saint John Vianney (1786 - 1859)

"Those who have great devotion to Mary not only will be saved, but also will, through her intercession, become great Saints. Furthermore, their holiness will grow from day to day ."- Saint Vincent Pallotti (1795 - 1850)

"We find ourselves on earth as in a tempestuous sea, a desert , and a vale of tears. But Mary is the Star of the Sea, the Solace of our desert, and the Light that guides us to heaven."- Saint John Bosco. (1815 - 1888)

"Do not be afraid to love the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her enough. And Jesus will be very happy, because the Blessed Virgin is His Mother." - Saint Therese of Lisieux.
(1873 - 1897) +++

"Let us bind ourselves tightly to the Sorrowful Heart of our heavenly Mother and reflect on its boundless grief and how precious is our soul. " - Saint Padre Pio. (1887 - 1968)

"Some people are foolish enough to believe that they can get through their whole life without any help from the Blessed Virgin Mary." - Saint Padre Pio (1887 - 1968)

"Do not fear the enemy; he will not launch anything against the little ship of your spirit because Jesus is the helmsman and Mary is the star." - Saint Padre Pio (1887 - 1968)

"Love our Lady, make others love her. Always say your Rosary and say it well. Satan always tries to destroy this prayer, but he will never succeed. It is the prayer of her who triumphs over everything and everyone." - Saint Padre Pio (1887 - 1968)

"Those who belong to Mary should do all they can to win the hearts of others to her. And Mary will enlighten those hearts , enkindle them with the love of her Maternal Heart, and inflame them with the fire of charity that burns in the Divine Heart of Jesus. " - Saint Maximilian Kolbe (1894 - 1941)

" Love the Immaculata ! Confide in her and consecrate yourself to her without reservation. Strive to do everything that she herself would do it in your place, especially by loving God as she loves Him. " - Saint Maximilian Kolbe (1894 - 1941)

" If you want to grow in perfection, you cannot advance by yourselves - you need a guide. Hence, when you go to God, go through Mary and with Mary !" - Saint Maximilian Kolbe (1894 -
1941)

"When, O Mother Immaculate, will you become Queen of each and every soul? When will all the souls in the entire world know the goodness and love of your Heart towards them? When will every soul show you its gratitude with ardent love, and not only by passing affection, but by total dedication of the will to you, so that you reign in each and every heart and be able to form them according to the pattern of the Most Sacred Heart of thy Son, to make them happy , to divinise them? When will this come about ? " - Saint Maximilian Kolbe (1894 - 1941)

"My Immaculate Heart shall be your refuge and the road that shall lead you to God " - Our Lady of Fatima, 1917 "Jesus wishes to make use of you ( Lucia ) to make me known and loved. He wants to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. I promise salvation to those who embrace it , and those souls will be loved by God, like flowers placed by me to adorn His Throne" - Our Lady of Fatima, June 13th, 1917

+++ = Doctor of the Church

Mary & Christ

Mary and JesusPicture used with permission from Aida Yared
Thanks to my friend Barb for sharing the following:


Mary the dawn, Christ the perfect day;
Mary the gate, Christ the Heavenly Way!

Mary the root, Christ the Mystic Vine;
Mary the grape,Christ the Sacred Wine!

Mary the wheat, Christ the Living Bread;
Mary the stem, Christ the Rose blood-red!

Mary the font, Christ the Cleansing Flood;
Mary the cup, Chirst the Saving Blood!

Mary the temple, Christ the temple's Lord;
Mary the shrine, Christ the God adored!

Mary the beacon, Christ the Heaven's Rest;
Mary the mirror, Christ the Vision Blest!

Mary the mother, Chirst the mother's Son;
By all things blest while endless ages run.

Author unknown

Spiritual Advice from St. Faustina

St. Faustina and DM

From Notebook II of the Diary of Sister Faustina, page 314, #789-792

"Always and in all circumstances, yield the first place to to hers; especially during recreation listen quietly, without interrupting, even if someone tells me the same thing ten times. I will never ask questions about something that interests me very much."

Resolution: still the same; namely, to unite myself with the Merciful Christ.

General resolution: interior calm, silence.

Hide me, Jesus, in the depths of Your mercy, and then let my neighbor judge me as he pleases.

I must never speak of my own experiences. In suffering, I must seek relief in prayers.

Friday, May 11, 2007

The Big Lie

I want to thank my friend Josephine for sharing this article.
At least one Catholic doctor believes that the reason American society is obsessed with the contraceptive pill is because it has been brainwashed by big pharmaceutical companies. These companies have been successful in pushing their agenda into America’s medical schools. Doctors now prescribe the pill not only to prevent pregnancy but also to treat many gynecological problems. Unfortunately, the pill treats only the symptoms, not the underlying conditions, this natural planning doctor contends...

...Martin said she is also concerned about couples with infertility problems. “Most infertile couples are never properly diagnosed. They are simply told their best chance of having a baby is in vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF is not only prohibitively expensive, very invasive, and not covered by most insurances, but it is also morally suspect,” she said.

Because of her Catholic faith teaching, Martin does not believe that physicians should insert themselves into the creative act. She believes that is exactly “what doctors do when they separate the marital act from fertilization by IVF and other assisted reproductive technology (ART). I respect the marital act. I’m not going to intrude on that,” she said.

ARTICLE

Saintly Quotes - Suffering and the Cross

CruifixionPicture used with permission by Aida Yared

Thanks Sue C. for sharing the following:


Christ made me understand that I could save souls through the cross. The greater the crosses I encountered, the more ardent became my desire to endure them.

St. Theresa of the Child Jesus

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God has made human beings so noble that every suffering which purifies us and every effort which raises us up gladdens us while making us better.

St. Augustine

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Let us understand that God is a physician, and that suffering is a
medicine for salvation, not a punishment for damnation.

St. Augustine

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When you are scorned by others and lashed by God, do not despair. God lashes us in this life to shield us from the eternal lash in the next.

St. Peter Damian

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The desire to receive God's treasures and favors is universal. But how few people aspire to wear themselves out and to suffer for the Son of God!

St. John of the Cross

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If we suffer with Christ, we will be glorified with Him. The fulfillment of the promised happiness is certain for those who share in the Lord's Passion.

St. Leo the Great

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Let us strive to face suffering with Christian courage. Then all difficulties will vanish and pain itself will become transformed into joy.

St. Theresa of Avila

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Such is the nature of faith that the greater are the obstacles it encounters, the more ardent it becomes.

St. Charles Borromeo

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Do not allow yourselves to be overly saddened by the unfortunate accidents of this world. You are not aware of the benefits they bring and by what secret judgment of God they are arranged for the eternal joy of the Elect.

St. John of the Cross

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The smallest of life's events are directed by the Lord. Creatures are instruments, but it is the hand of Jesus that directs all.

St. Theresa of the Child Jesus

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The Eucharist may be termed a perpetual Calvary. Without it how many times God's wrath would have erupted on our heads!

St. Peter Eymard

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Suffering out of love for God is a signal favor, but we do not realize this. For we thank God for prosperity and take no heed that afflictions would be a much greater grace.

St. Joseph of Cupertino

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The cross is the greatest gift God could bestow on His Elect on earth. There is nothing so necessary, so beneficial, so sweet, or so glorious as to suffer something for Jesus. If you suffer as you ought, the cross will become a precious yoke that Jesus will carry with you.

St. Louis de Montfort

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Suffering is like a kiss that Jesus hanging from the cross bestows on persons whom He loves in a special way. Because of this love He wants to associate them in the work of the redemption.

St. Bonaventure

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Let us lose nothing of what God bestows on us. Difficulties and sufferings will disappear, but the merit we acquire through our fidelity will remain forever. Let us therefore build our eternity through all the things that pass away.

St. Jane Frances de Chantal

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To suffer and not to suffer for God is torment.

St. Gerard Majella

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During mental prayer it is well, at times, to imagine that many insults and injuries are being heaped upon us, that misfortunes have befallen us, and then strive to train our heart to forgive and bear these things patiently, in imitation of our Savior. This is the way to acquire a strong spirit.

St. Philip Neri

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Remember how the crown was attained by those whose sufferings gave new radiance to their faith. The whole company of saints bears witness to the unfailing truth that without genuine effort no one wins the crown.

St. Thomas Becket

The Primacy of Peter in Scripture

Keys Picture courtesy of This Site

Deb has a wonderful resource on her blog regarding the Primacy of St.Peter
..."And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." ~ Matt 16-19
Visit her site by CLICKING HERE for the scripture references.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Feast Day of Blessed Damien of Molokai

Feast Day May 10th
"There is no greater love than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends."

Fr. Damien
Statue of Fr. Damien

Hawaii is proud to claim Father Joseph de Veuster or Damien or Kamiano, as one of our very own saints (or soon-to-be canonized) along with Blessed Mother Marianne Cope.

By now the world knows about this young man from Belgium who came to Hawaii, taking his sick brother place. Once here he was ordained a priest of the Sacred Heart Fathers. He was actually ordained at our Cathedral in downtown Honolulu.

He volunteered to go to a remote part of Molokai where the people infected with the dreaded "Leprosy" bacteria...Hansen's disease... were forced to go. He arrived in a place where the inhabitants greeted him with ""Aole kanawai ma reia wahi" -- "In this place there is no law" ..."

He soon made it a decent place to live. He built a church and a home for children. He made it a home for the people who felt abandoned by society, separated from their families by force, and actually gave them hope.

He had to fight for supplies and other necessities. He humbly confessed his sins by shouting them to the priest on the ship because he wasn't permitted on board.

Soon after, he contracted the dreaded disease himself. He gave up his life for the love of his neighbor.

Even after death, he was viciously attacked by a Reverend Hyde, who accused him of all sorts of indiscretions as an explanation for him contracting Hansen's Disease.

However, the famous writer Robert Louis Stevenson, came to Father Damien's defense in a famous letter he wrote to Rev. Hyde. LETTER

For more information on this STRANGE CASE OF FATHER DAMIEN AND ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

To read more about Father Damien, I would recommend Damien the Leper by John Farrow, or watch the movie Molokai, the Story of Father Damien, starring David Wenham of the Lord of the Rings fame.

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Suffering - Don't Waste it

The following is from the new Mother Angelica book Little Book of Life Lessons and everyday Spirituality edited by Raymond Arroyo and available at EWTN

No one understands suffering like I think Mother Angelica. She suffered early in life either physically, mentally or emotionally. Yet, she always united her sufferings with that of her beloved Christ. The following is from Chapter 7 of her book: The Power and Meaning of Pain and Suffering:

1. Create great holiness and become a powerful witness to those around you.

2. By accepting your pain you are doing God's Will in an awesome way.

3. By offering your pain to God, you can save souls.

God is trusting you with pain; He is trusting you to accept it with love.

There are three types of suffering according to Mother Angelica:

1. Preventive Suffering - Where God uses suffering as a way to prevent us from "committing sin or making errors in judgment or becoming to worldly or proud".

2. Corrective Suffering - The sufferings incurred by our disobedience can be used to purify the very weaknesses that produced the sin in the first place.

3. Repentant Suffering - This kind of suffering "cleanses our souls and brings down upon us the compassion of God and enables us to begin anew".

Note By Sister Faustina Regarding Hell

St. Faustina


The following was written by Sister Faustina following the previous entry of the Chasms of Hell.

"I, Sister Faustina, by the order of God, have visited the abysses of hell so that I might tell souls about it and testify to its existence. I cannot speak about it now; but I have received a command from God to leave it in writing. The devils were full of hatred for me, but they had to obey me at the command of God.

What I have written is but a pale shadow of the things I saw. But I noticed one thing: that most of the souls there are those who disbelieved that there is hell. When I came to, I could hardly recover from the fright. How terribly souls suffer there!

Consequently, I pray even more fervently for the conversion of sinners. I incessantly plead God's mercy upon them. O my Jesus, I would rather be in agony until the end of the world, amidst the greatest sufferings, than offend You by the least sin."

The Chasms of Hell

Hell2 A painting by Hieronymous Bosch, c.1510, portraying Hell on the right.

The following is from Notebook II of the Diary of St. Faustina, page 296, paragraph 741

"Today, I was led by an Angel to the chasms of hell. It is a place of great torture; how awesomely large and extensive it is! The kinds of tortures I saw:

First torture that constitutes hell - is the loss of God;

Second torture - is perpetual remorse of conscience;

Third torture - is that one's condition will never change;

Fourth torture - is the fire that will penetrate the soul without destroying it - a terrible suffering, since it is a purely spiritual fire, lit by God's anger;

Fifth torture - is continual darkness and a terrible suffocating smell, and, despite the darkness, the devils and the souls of the damned see each other and all the evil, both of others and their own;

Sixth torture - is the constant company of Satan;

Seventh torture - is horrible despair, hatred of God, vile words, curses and blasphemies.

These are the tortures suffered by all the damned together, but that is not the end of the sufferings. There are special tortures destined for particular souls. These are the torments of the senses. Each soul undergoes terrible and indescribable sufferings, related to the manner in which it has sinned. There are caverns and pits of torture where one form of agony differs from another...Let the sinner know that he will e tortured throughout all eternity, in those senses which he made use of to sin. I am writing this at the command of God, so that no soul may find an excuse by saying there is no hell, or that nobody has ever been t here, and so no one an say what it is like."

Hell1 This one is a medieval painting depicting Hell.

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Submission to the Will of God

Angels
The following is from Notebook II page page 292 #724 of St. Faustina's Diary
"Faithful submission to the will of God, always and everywhere, in all events and circumstances of life, gives great glory to God. Such submission to the will of God carries more weight with Him than long fasts, mortifications and the most severe penances. Oh, how great is the reward for one act of loving submission to the will of God! As i write, my soul is enraptured at the though of how much God loves it and of the peace that my soul already enjoys, here on earth..."

Send a Message of Thanks to the Troops -Corrected Link

Thank You
H/T to BECCA

1-800-Flower has a message center set up at their website. Please send a message to our troops and thank them.

CLICK HERE
Thanks for pointing that out Barb ;-)

Monday, May 07, 2007

Another Saintly Quote

St. Francis de SalesPicture courtesy of THIS SITE
Thanks again Sue!

We do not very often come across opportunities for exercising strength, magnanimity, or magnificence; but gentleness, temperance, modesty, and humility, are graces which ought to color everything we do. There may be virtues of a more exalted mold, but... these are the most continually called for in daily life.
St Francis de Sales

Saintly Quote - Suffering

Jesus
Mahalo Sue!
If there be a true way that leads to the Everlasting Kingdom, it is most certainly that of suffering, patiently endured.
Saint Colette (1381-1447)

Prayer for Priests

Priests
Thanks Sue!

OUR LADY’S PRAYER FOR PRIESTS
To obtain the Grace of all World’s Masses

Eternal Father we humbly offer Thee our poor Presence and that of the whole of humanity from the beginning to the end of the world at all the Masses that have ever or ever will be prayed. We Offer Thee all the pains, suffering, prayers, sacrifices, joys and relaxations of our lives, in union with those of our dear Lord Jesus here on earth. May the Most Precious Blood of Christ, all His Blood and Wounds and Agony save us, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary. Amen

Pray daily and make known

Prayer Requests

Prayer Request

1. Bill Peffley, Fr. Peffley's Dad who will be undergoing quadruple by-pass surgery today. Click Here for details.

2. For Nathan, the nephew of former Hawaii Right to Life Director John Long who recently underwent serious surgery for cancer.

3. For Ernesto, a fellow parishioner who recently underwent cataract surgery for a second time and for other health issues.

4. For Phillip, a friend undergoing cancer treatment.

5. For the children of the world. May God and His blessed Mother protect them from all dangers.

6. For the Christians who are forced to flee their home in Iraq. ARTICLE

Sunday, May 06, 2007

St. Thomas of Villanova - The Poor

Jesus the Lamb of God
Thanks Sue!

If you want God to hear your prayers, hear the voice of the poor.

If you wish God to anticipate your wants, provide those of the needy without waiting for them to ask you.

Especially anticipate the needs of those who are ashamed to beg.

To make them ask for alms is to make them buy it.
St. Thomas of Villanova

What is the Real Presence?

Priest

Out of the 242 folks who voted in the Real Presence Poll, 7 voted that they did not know what the Real Presence was.

Very basically, I would like to say that at the Consecration of the Mass, the ordinary bread and wine, are changed by the Priest (and only by a priest can this be accomplished), into the ACTUAL Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice that I do not say, "we Catholic believe this" because, whether or not you believe in this miraculous transubstantiation, it is a fact and it occurs nevertheless.

It was at the last supper that our Lord celebrated the First Mass and it was there that the priesthood was initiated as a way to perpetuate the Eucharist or Real Presence by the priest.

Now, for a more in depth study of what the Real Presence is, click CLICK HERE to read what the late Father John A. Hardon, S.J. has written.